Predict: Next commitment

[Gurleyman]

Agree. Plus Calhoun injury/ sickness, concerns about JC retiring, the impending ban. It was a lost year.

People forget that a one-and-done was also critical in bringing UCONN to national prominence.

Yep - people don't think of him as one and done, since he didn't leave for the NBA. But pro ball in Israel is still pro ball.

 

[businesslawyer]

I understand your argument but I see no problem in going after highly rated recruits if you believe you can get them. If you were KO, you would not offer Stone a ship because he's too good? I would never want to see us turn into some one and done factory like UK but I don't see an issue in bringing one in on occasion.

Go back in the thread. I trust KO, and any kid whom he offers I want. I am not telling KO we don't want any of these young men.

Someone else criticized a poster as it being a silly opinion that we didn't want kids who were looking for the exit from the time they got here. And I was making the case that it isn't stupid because the overwhelming part of our success has come from recruiting young men who aren't looking for an early exit when they show up.

 

[businesslawyer]

Agree. Plus Calhoun injury/ sickness, concerns about JC retiring, the impending ban. It was a lost year.

People forget that a one-and-done was also critical in bringing UCONN to national prominence.

Like Lamb, my understanding is Nadov came here to stay here. After the publicity he got in Israel, he was then made an offer he couldn't refuse.

 

[businesslawyer]

You've been wrong about both, then. Charlie was huge for us, particularly when Emeka was hurt, and we don't win the BET without him. RaSHAD and Denham were both weaker ballhandlers than Rudy, so I'm not sure what benching him would have provided.

It would have produced better passing and better outside shooting and more consistent perimeter D. Towards the end of the year -- right before the BET -- we played Nova at home. That was as good a passing game as I think I've ever seen a college team have. But the team moved the ball better when the seniors were on the wings.

Again, I'm not knocking Rudy Gay's play and I fully acknowledge that my opinion is in the minority on that. But Rudy Gay was not an All American -- he was a good college player with unbelievable tools -- and the UConn team was many days better with him not taking 32 minutes at the 3.

You are correct that we don't win the BET, with Okafor hurt, without Charley V. I don't think that changes my point, but I agree with the statement.

 

[tzznandrew]

Well, he was an All-American: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006_NCAA_Men's_Basketball_All-Americans

He did a lot of great things. I think if he played the 4 more we could have done some better things, but that team was fatally flawed from the AJP hemorrhage to laptopgate. Rudy had little to do with it.

As to this thread: I don't think we ever want to be UK, a team full of 1-and-dones.

I also think that to avoid top talent because they may leave is foolish. Trash UK all we want, in the last 5 years: E8, FF, NC, NIT, Championship Game. That's better than anyone else but UConn (NIT, NC, R1, None, NC), and that's only because of the second title. And if it weren't for UConn, UK would likely have 3 titles in 4 years.

Don't become them, but adapt. Take what works for them, and keep what works from us.

 

[UConn17]

Like Lamb, my understanding is Nadov came here to stay here. After the publicity he got in Israel, he was then made an offer he couldn't refuse.

But how do you know all these high ranked high schoolers and even Drummond did not come to UConn with the same attitude of wanting to stay? Just cause they are projected to be pros does not mean that is their mindset coming in....unfair to assume

 

[bfair]

I love Clark... And I hope it's him. I just think he has a motor and seems like a kid that ko and staff would love to have. Just my opinion.. But d stone is fine as well

 

[Dooley]

Stone. Seems like he is #1 on the coach's priority list. Wonder if we'll offer a full 4-year ride (even though he'll likely actually use 1-2 years before going to the NBA).

 

[Chief00]

Lamb left after two years, but I don't think he came here with one eye on the exit the way the others did.

As to Charley and Rudy, you can disagree with me but there is no revisionism in my history. I don't think Charley was a key piece in '04 of what we accomplished, and I think we could have won a championship in '06 if Rudy could have had his minutes reduced, or played some at the 4, instead of having Sheed and Denham sit too much in games where they were playing well. I know that is a minority opinion, but I've been saying it since '06

I too always maintained that Rudy should have played the 4 on that team. In the George Mason game Rudy actually played good but did not see the ball enough.

 

[johnhuskies95]

It would have produced better passing and better outside shooting and more consistent perimeter D. Towards the end of the year -- right before the BET -- we played Nova at home. That was as good a passing game as I think I've ever seen a college team have. But the team moved the ball better when the seniors were on the wings.

Again, I'm not knocking Rudy Gay's play and I fully acknowledge that my opinion is in the minority on that. But Rudy Gay was not an All American -- he was a good college player with unbelievable tools -- and the UConn team was many days better with him not taking 32 minutes at the 3.

You are correct that we don't win the BET, with Okafor hurt, without Charley V. I don't think that changes my point, but I agree with the statement.

Actually, you're wrong, he was an All American. And I'm not sure what point you're trying to make. Are you saying that Calhoun didn't move him to the 4 in order to protect his NBA chances? If so, that's even more ridiculous than your original post downplaying what Charlie V did here.

 

[johnhuskies95]

It hurts to say this, but I agree. But you could also say the same thing about Boat. The first season, Boat and Bazz did not get along - both had different visions of how the team should be ran.

No need to rehash all of this, but I thought it was well known that it was Bazz and Boat that caused the chemistry problems on that team. Borges confirmed it.

 

[David 76]

Like Lamb, my understanding is Nadov came here to stay here. After the publicity he got in Israel, he was then made an offer he couldn't refuse.

My memory is that Dove came here already under contract. He was hoping for the NBA and may have wanted to stay, but they called in his contract.

I'm not a huge fan of Rudy's time at UCONN either, but it is a stretch to distrust all players who may leave after a yearyear because of one complicated situation.

 

[donyell34]

Perplexing all the heat Rudy gets on here.

 

[businesslawyer]

My memory is that Dove came here already under contract. He was hoping for the NBA and may have wanted to stay, but they called in his contract.

I'm not a huge fan of Rudy's time at UCONN either, but it is a stretch to distrust all players who may leave after a yearyear because of one complicated situation.

Again, I am fine with KO recruiting these players. I am defending someone else's comment when he was called an idiot for stating that UConn would do just as well without them. There is more than a little supporting evidence for his conclusion.

 

[HooperScooper]

Perplexing all the heat Rudy gets on here.

I agree. Crazy. Rudy seems to be the scapegoat for the team not making the Final Four in 2006.

 

[pj]

I agree. Crazy. Rudy seems to be the scapegoat for the team not making the Final Four in 2006.

No, the problem was not having enough guards on the roster. It's true that the team would have been improved with one less All-American and one more capable guard. More time for Rashad and Denham was not the answer, both were limited in ballhandling and playmaking, but moving Rudy to the 4, Rashad and Denham to the 3, and playing somebody with point guard skills at the 2 -- Kemba, Bazz, Doron Sheffer, Ricky Moore, etc - would have greatly improved the team.

 

[BankShot]

Wasn't that to be AJ's first year, I think having AJ on the team would have been another ball handler who would have rounded out the team as the best. We had crazy talent, but little team, and I still think, your team is your guard play. Marcus was very good, sometimes great, but not on the KEA, BG, Kemba, Shabazz level.

A healthy freshman year for AJ would have been the difference, and ultimately I think we would have beat anyone after G.Mason, we had a knack for getting up for the big games that year

With that said, I think Jones will be the next commitment, and it only be a matter of time for Stone to round out the best class of 2015

 

[caw]

Wasn't that to be AJ's first year, I think having AJ on the team would have been another ball handler who would have rounded out the team as the best. We had crazy talent, but little team, and I still think, your team is your guard play. Marcus was very good, sometimes great, but not on the KEA, BG, Kemba, Shabazz level.

A healthy freshman year for AJ would have been the difference, and ultimately I think we would have beat anyone after G.Mason, we had a knack for getting up for the big games that year

With that said, I think Jones will be the next commitment, and it only be a matter of time for Stone to round out the best class of 2015

Second I think. AJ was supposed to join Rudy in 2005 as a freshman. He then had his illness. Then he had his legal issues before the 2006 season started. His first year with the team was 2007. From what I recall at least.

 

[CallMeBruce]

If Price had been healthy and ready to go on time, he's a sophomore on the '06 team, and the whole make-up of that team changes. A lineup of Boone, Rudy, Brown, Price, Williams with Armstrong, Adrien, Anderson, and Austrie on the bench would have been hard to beat.

 

[Waquoit]

I agree. Crazy. Rudy seems to be the scapegoat for the team not making the Final Four in 2006.

That season was like Murder on the Orient Express; it wasn't just Rudy, every one dun it. But Rudy was the only one yawning during the big game. And notice that we had lousy chemistry in 2006 and 2012. Hope KO has a plan for 2018.

Back to the OP, put me down for whoever Chief picks.

 

[Inyatkin]

Rudy Gay's sin was not being Caron Butler. That's really what it comes down to.

 

[mauconnfan]

Rudy's only sin was the fact so many had higher expectations. Other than that he was a solid 18/19 year old sophomore still growing into his body and game!

That team was disappointing only because they lost to GMU which others did too.........one game in which Cinderella was the star again. Cinderella also come down to earth in the semi's and if they played like that vs UConn we'd be talking about Rudy as a ring wearer like many others.

 

[tzznandrew]

Rudy Gay's sin was not being Caron Butler. That's really what it comes down to.

Rudy's only sin was the fact so many had higher expectations. Other than that he was a solid 18/19 year old sophomore still growing into his body and game!

That team was disappointing only because they lost to GMU which others did too....one game in which Cinderella was the star again. Cinderella also come down to earth in the semi's and if they played like that vs UConn we'd be talking about Rudy as a ring wearer like many others.

These two posts, 1000000000%.

That team had a fatal flaw, and despite that, if a Denham 3 goes in, they probably take the whole thing. They got up for teams they respected, and played like crap against teams that didn't. Unfortunately, they pretty much respected no one in that tournament bracket, and so it was probably the least impressive E8 run we ever had. But one bad bounce--or, more correctly perhaps, one bad palming call--completely changed the way we look at Rudy.

 

[David 76]

I always saw that team as inconsistent and played below their talent level, not only against GMU. I guess, as the most talented player, I blamed Gay and his body language never told me anything different. But people here are moderating my opinion. The fact that he was still a teenager and the lack of another good ball handler makes sense.

 

[mauconnfan]

Speaking of next commitment someone please tell me Chris Clarke decided not to go to Creighton last evening?